A New Perspective of Systems Complexity in Service Science

This contribution aims at investigating the dimensions of complexity in social science from both a research and a management perspective. By adopting the general interpretation schemes of the Viable Systems Approach and, in particular, the structure-system paradigm, the paper reveals a ‘dominant’ logic that has historically and culturally determined an interpretation and definition of complexity characterized by an implicit reference to quantitative criteria. Our findings address towards a new perspective of systems complexity that manifests itself when, from the decision maker’s viewpoint, interaction that emerges from any type of relation that is activated in a specific process does not answer to shared, notable and clear behavioural rules, generating conditions of indeterminacy in decision making. We discuss the practical and research implications of what we can qualify as a paradigm shift towards a systems view of reality highlighting how this change in perspective is central in the emerging service science